Recalling those officials who had boarded the ship in Luoyang, Yun Ye couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. They hadn’t come to borrow fortune—they were ministers dispatched by the Emperor’s decree to welcome him from a hundred li away.
Because the killing this time had been excessive, those civil officials believed Yun Ye was deliberately stirring up hatred between the Great Tang and Goryeo to achieve the purpose of dispatching troops, to let those military generals regain the great power of commanding armies. So they misinterpreted the Emperor’s decree, welcoming him from three hundred li away, yet saying nothing about what they had come to do. Cen Wenben had wanted to speak several times but swallowed his words back down. While the military generals celebrated, they worried about who would bear the blame for this slaughter. With no other choice, they could only choose to act like cowardly turtles. After being wealthy for a few years, they no longer had their former generosity and bold spirit.
Li Er had reason to despise them, and reason to strip them of their authority. Content with small wealth—this was the common failing of military men. If they lacked courage themselves, they shouldn’t blame the civil officials for taking away their power.
In fact, from the moment they pushed Yun Ye forward, letting a junior take the fall, Li Er’s heart had probably already looked down on them somewhat. Wanting to gain without willing to pay—this was a petty thief’s mentality, which shouldn’t appear in these battle-tested generals. Only now did Yun Ye understand why Li Er had that pained expression when agreeing to let him go on campaign. He wasn’t pained for Yun Ye, but pained that the fighting spirit of his former comrades-in-arms had been completely worn away.
Even if these generals weren’t suitable for battle, couldn’t the army truly find one person who was competent? The Great Tang had a standing army of six hundred thousand, with nearly four hundred thousand in Chang’an alone. Among four hundred thousand people, couldn’t even one be found?
Old Qian was prostrate on the ground weeping tears of joy, welcoming his master’s triumphant return. Behind him knelt over a hundred servants, along with over a hundred large carts. The Yun family’s cooks were all there. Even Jiu’er appeared holding a pipa. Chengxin wore women’s clothing, enchanting and graceful, her hair hanging down. The two-zhang-long wide sleeves wrapped around her body—she was preparing to dance for the army, and this was the standard costume for “Dispatching the Chariots,” a mountain spirit. This should have been performed in Luoyang by singing girls dispatched by Cen Wenben from the Ministry of Rites.
Chengxin slowly walked out, shaking her long sleeves, singing as she walked: “I dispatch my chariot, to those pastures. From the Son of Heaven’s place, he bids me come. I summon the charioteer, bid him load up.”
Yun Ye’s ears twitched left and right in anger, but for the sake of the soldiers behind him, he still opened his mouth to respond: “The King’s affairs are difficult, truly thorny. I dispatch my chariot, to those suburbs. We set up these banners, erect those standards. Those flags and banners, why do they not flutter?”
After Yun Ye finished singing this verse, the soldiers disembarking from the ships sang in unison: “When I went forth, the millet was in flower. Now I return, rain and snow fill the road. The King’s affairs are difficult, no time to rest or dwell. How can I not long to return? But I fear this military summons. Chirping, chirping go the grass insects, hopping, hopping go the locusts.”
Chengxin pretended to search for people but couldn’t find them, looking east and west among the soldiers. Finally, she knelt sorrowfully on the ground, singing mournfully: “Before seeing my lord, my heart was anxious. Having seen my lord, my heart is at ease. Illustrious Nan Zhong, he campaigns against the western Rong. The spring days are long, plants and trees luxuriant. The orioles call out, gathering southernwood prolifically.”
Yun Ye drew his horizontal blade and thrust it heavily into the ground. Behind him, the soldiers also thrust their blades into the ground, beating their chests and roaring loudly: “We interrogate and capture the enemy, briefly we return home. Illustrious Nan Zhong, the Xianyun are pacified.”
After finishing this song “Dispatching the Chariots,” the originally oppressive troops suddenly wailed and sobbed. Just as the song described, we went to distant places to fight for the King’s affairs—this was all our willing choice. No matter how difficult, we were fearless. When I left it was still the good time of swaying willows; now I return to rain and snow. Family, mountain spirits cannot find those once-familiar faces. We have no regrets. Now we’ve captured enemy chieftains—this is the good time to celebrate.
No regrets? At this moment Yun Ye regretted it so much he wanted to dig out his heart. Why had he accepted this assignment back then? He only needed to have exposed this matter to Wei Zheng, and no matter how those old commanders pressured him, naturally the civil officials would deal with it. He didn’t need to come forward himself, and he wouldn’t have had over two thousand subordinates killed or wounded. Now returning victorious, yet not receiving the glory they deserved—this was utter humiliation. Yun Ye had already prepared to curse in court tomorrow.
“Old Qian, set up all the stoves and cauldrons, open all the wine jars. Jiu’er, pluck your pipa. Chengxin, dance even more enchantingly. We’re drinking! Come, brothers—remove armor!”
“Commander’s order! Remove armor!” The army’s Sima jumped onto a table, shouting hoarsely at everyone. The squad leaders also jumped out, yelling at their subordinates: “Remove armor!” For a time, the sound of clanking armor removal was everywhere. Soon beside each person lay a pile of armor, horizontal blades, long spears, powerful crossbows, arrow quivers, keeping only the short knives for cutting meat on their bodies.
Lady Ronghua, the last to disembark from the ship, walked over with a smile and said to Yun Ye: “Is this the welcoming ceremony of the Great Tang, the supreme state, for triumphant soldiers? It seems rather perfunctory—not even as good as our Goryeo ceremonies.” Yun Ye stared with bloodshot eyes and said slowly: “If you dare say one more word, I’ll immediately have people strip you naked and make you dance for the soldiers. If you perform an erotic dance, presumably the soldiers will feel somewhat better.”
Lady Ronghua saw that Yun Ye was clearly on the verge of erupting. After hearing his words, she hugged her shoulders and fled in a flash. At this moment she only wanted to stay far away from Yun Ye.
Yun Ye was furious, the soldiers felt wronged, but those soldiers who had remained behind all looked honored. If today weren’t a good day for victorious homecoming, Yun Ye absolutely wouldn’t let these heartless fellows off.
The open-air stoves in the military camp had been built long ago. The army’s cooks were also helping the Yun family’s cooks. Basket after basket of white steamed buns and scallion pancakes were brought out. Large pot after large pot of steaming meat chunks were also carried to the tables. Wine jars were opened one by one by Yun family servants and placed in hot water. Stimulated by the heat, the wine’s aroma spread everywhere. Yun Ye used his blade to spear a large chunk of meat from the pot and ate it in two or three bites, not even bothering to distinguish between mutton and pork. Grabbing a wine jar, for the first time not looking at the number on the jar, he gulped down an entire jar in large mouthfuls.
He might have taken the wrong wine—it was rather strong. After finishing one jar, Yun Ye’s steps were somewhat unsteady. Pushing away Old Qian who was preparing to support him, also ignoring Wu She and Liu Fang who were watching him with concern, he staggered alone, preparing to go to the rear tent—after using the toilet he would practice martial arts. It wasn’t good to let his subordinates see their commander lose composure right now.
Jiu’er was happily playing the pipa, the melody increasingly passionate, truly like large and small pearls falling on a jade plate. Chengxin was also laughing joyfully, shaking her two sleeves into various patterns. Those fools who couldn’t tell whether Chengxin was male or female enthusiastically surrounded her to curry favor. Some who could dance even ran up to dance together.
The wine’s effects surged up. That jar just now, if it wasn’t damned fifty-proof or higher liquor, that would be strange. Yun Ye discovered that if he didn’t use some cleverness and honestly walked the path of ordinary people, his luck was shockingly bad. Generally speaking, as long as he could imagine the worst outcome, he would definitely encounter the worst situation, without exception.
Damn it, who was that ahead? How dare they privately light fires in the military camp? Was there no discipline at all? The Lingnan Navy camp was different from other military camps—oil was piled everywhere. Doing this was truly very dangerous.
There was a large tent there. Looking from outside, there were actually shadowy figures inside, and fragrance was emanating. This smell was very familiar—he seemed to have smelled it somewhere. Where had he smelled it?
Couldn’t remember. He lifted the tent flap in one motion. Seeing the scene inside, tears immediately flowed down. He saw Old Niu wearing an apron, constantly turning and roasting a sheep. Looking up and seeing Yun Ye enter, he cut off a piece with his knife and passed it over: “Taste it. This sheep, this old man marinated it for a day with seasonings and also sprayed it with wine. In another incense stick’s time it’ll be ready. Look, roasting sheep is all about the heat control…”
Yun Ye’s mouth was stuffed with meat, his ears were buzzing, tears streaming down his face. He only saw Cheng Chumo about to stand up when Old Niu slapped him down to continue tending the firewood.
Cheng Yaojin was bare-chested, exposing his dark chest hair, wielding a huge cleaver to chop meat filling. After chopping twice, the blade cut into the chopping board. Qin Qiong was unhurriedly sitting on a small stool picking through vegetables in his hands. As for Yuchi Gong, holding a fire fork, he was singeing the hair off a pig’s head. The tower-like Big Yuchi gave Yun Ye a silly grin, casually snapped the neck of the fat chicken in his hand, and tossed it into a basin of boiling water.
Zhangsun Chong’s face was covered in flour. The dandy young master who had never done kitchen work wanted to knead the dough together—this was simply impossible. Li Huairen held a large basin, looking distressed as he watched Cheng Yaojin chop meat filling. As soon as he saw Yun Ye enter, he casually threw down the basin and hugged Yun Ye in a tight squeeze—this was just the brothers’ favorite game from before.
After Yun Ye paid respects to Old Cheng, Old Niu, Old Qin, and Old Yuchi, the tears in his eyes no longer flowed. After being squeezed half to death by Cheng Chumo, Big Yuchi, and Zhangsun Chong, the last bit of unhappiness in his heart had already dissipated without a trace.
As long as the people he cared about hadn’t forgotten him, what did others matter?
“You came early. Chengqian, Qing Que, and little Ke haven’t come yet. They need to wait until His Majesty leaves court before they can come. It’s only afternoon now. Qing Que promised to steal the most fierce black dog from the palace to be today’s main dish—don’t know if he succeeded. Little Ke said he has something good for you, don’t know what it is. Knowing you haven’t eaten, just wait a bit longer and it’ll be ready.”
Hearing Cheng Chumo’s chatter, only then did Yun Ye emerge from his dazed state. Smiling, he took the pig’s head from Yuchi’s hands, heated an iron rod until red-hot, and ruthlessly burned it several times in the pig’s nostrils and ear holes before saying: “Uncle Yuchi, to make the most delicious pig’s head, the primary requirement is cleanliness. Just burning the pig hair on the outside won’t do.”